December, 19 13.] 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



53 



A similar occurrence is caused by an attack 

 of thrip, or other destructive insects, on the 

 flower spike when in its young state. Many 

 of the buds thus receive a check, and although 

 they may become flowers in due course a 

 peloriate condition is frequently exhibited, the 

 real cause being arrest of development. 

 Similar examples occur on weak plants that 

 are insufficiently supplied with nutritive 

 material. 



Returning to Messrs. Hassall's specimen in 

 which the coloured labellum has assumed the 

 form of a petal, as well as lost its purple 

 coloration, the question arises is the albinism 

 of this " labellum " produced by the same 

 cause that brings about the petal-like or 

 peloriate nature, viz., arrest of development. 

 The future behaviour of the plant will be 

 watched with interest, and may possibly assist 

 in the elucidation of the problem. 



ORCHID NAMES. 



ALMOST every amateur is anxious to 

 raise a new hybrid Orchid in order to 

 have the pleasure of naming it 

 himself. A few, however, do not wish for 

 the trouble and time which the raising of a 

 seedling takes, but much prefer to purchase 

 a new and unnamed plant from one of the 

 various trade growers. It matters little which 

 method of procuring the plant is adopted, the 

 amateur having the same privilege in either 

 case. There is a wide difference between a 

 new hybrid and a new variety. The former 

 is produced by a combination of parents not 

 previously effected, the latter applies to any 

 variation differing from those already known 

 or recorded. 



Now the name of a hybrid is the word 

 applied to a certain combination of species, 

 and is therefore known as the specific name. 

 It is of far greater importance than that given 

 to a variety, and consequently requires 

 considerably more care in its selection. Every 

 time a variety is mentioned the specific name 

 must always be repeated. The following 

 are examples: — Cattleya Fabia var. Miss 



Williams, C. Fabia var. Emily R. Smith, and 

 C. Fabia Stone House var. The specific 

 name in this instance consists of but one 

 suitable word, and its repetition is by no 

 means objectionable. 



The specific name of many hybrids consists, 

 unfortunately, of more than one word, some- 

 times three, and the repetition of such long, 

 unsuitable names is extremely awkward, as 

 the following example proves : — Dendrobium 

 Mary Jane Brown var. Miss Smith, D. Mary 

 Jane Brown The Red House var., and D. 

 Mary Jane Brown var. Sarah Ann Jenkins. 

 Amateurs who take the responsibility of 

 naming a new hybrid should always consider 

 the other growers who in due course will 

 produce plants with similar parentage, and 

 who, by the rules of nomenclature, are bound 

 to adopt the earliest specific name. These 

 later hybrids are, of course, distinguished by 

 a varietal name, which follows the specific one 

 in a way similar to the name and variety of 

 a species. 



From the preceding remarks anyone will 

 readily see the advisability of selecting a 

 single word for the specific name of a new 

 hybrid. Classical names are much to be 

 preferred, although the name of the owner or 

 raiser may be used in the Latin form. 

 Varieties of species and hybrids can only be 

 named in Latin when the character of the 

 plant is expressed. Odontoglossum crispum 

 roseum and Cattleya Holdenii alba are 

 both correct, the latter word in each case 

 expressing the character of the flower. But 

 Odontoglossum crispum Smithii and Cattleya 

 Holdenii Robertsii are incorrect, the use of 

 Latin proper names for horticultural varieties 

 being proscribed by the Brussels Congress 

 of igro. 



Orchids at Maidstone.— A recent issue 

 of the Kenl Messenger gives some interesting 

 details of how successful Mr. and Mrs. Ed. 

 Clement, of The Nook, Ashford Road, Maid- 

 stone, have been with the cultivation of 

 Orchids. They have produced plants which 

 must be the envy of many professional 

 gardeners, and they have shown how a hobby 

 of this kind can be run at a small cost. 



VOL. IV. 



8 



